Irrigating-machine



Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

l. A. NORTON.

IRH'IGATING MACHINE.

APPLCATIUN FILED )ULY H. 19|5.

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IRRIGATING MACHINE.

APYLICTION FILED lLlLY \I, |915.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

J. A. NORTON.

IRHIGATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rxLEo1uLv|1,19|a.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

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l. A. NORTON.

IRRIGATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mso mLY 11. 19:5.

1,255,777. Patented Feb.5,1918.

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IRRIGATING MACHINE.

APPUCATION flLfD xuLY u. 915. 1,255,777.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

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i S14 ymem/[0 @Was/7W; 7% 77 35 GMM/wao UNITED STATES PATENT O-B-ltICE` JAMES A. NORTON, OF ODEBOLT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MGESNE ABSIGN- MENTS, TO GOLDEN WEST PUMP COMPANY. OF SIOUX FALLS. SOUTH DAKOTA', A

CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA,

3 Application tiled July 17, 1915.

To all lcd/wm t muy concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES A. Neuron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Udebolt, county ot Sac. and Slate o't Iowa, have invented certain new and useful lmprorements in Ylrrigatiilg-Machines; and l do declare the followingl to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beingl had to the acctnnpanying drawings, and to the characters oi' reference marked thereon` which torm a part of l his specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus At'or irrigatinggl land and includes a pump, a centrally located water supply under pressure, and a machine for distributing the water. The topography of the ground is immaterial to the working of the machine, as it operates with equal advantage over all kinds ot' uneven ground as well as on smooth or level land.

ln the operation ot' the unter-distributing machine, one extremity ot' the latter is coupled to the hydrant at the center of a ten acre square ot' the ground to be irrigated. This machine consists of' an arrangement ol pipes mounted upon a flexible trame which in turn is supported by a number of caster wheels. The Waier-distributing portion of tht` machine consu-1t.-v ct two main pipes, one of which is directly7 connected with the hydrant and rearwardly located with reference to the travel of the machine. while, the other is forwardly located, the two pipe menil'iers being connected by a bend. whereby the rear pipe may he said to merge into the forwardly located pipe, which is perforated for the discharge oit' water and diminishes in Size from the outer extremity ot' the machine toward the inner extremity or toward the hydrant, in order that the water discharged from the machine may he in proportion tf) thc a ea of the ground over Which the particular nozzles travel. ln other Words. thc farther the discharge nozzles are located from the center oi the field. the greater the quantity ot water discharged. The cross sectional area of the discharge pipe member is varied in order to accuratelv accomplish the aforesaid result.

Specication 0f Letters Patent.

Patented Feo-5, 1918.

Serial No. AM419.

The frame which carries thev water-discharging conduits, is made in sections, mounted upon the caster wheels and about live feet from the ground, so that crops, such as tall corn, or grape vines and blackberries may be irrigated. With each trame section is connected a small cable, and these cables are alternately Wound up aadj paid out from a series of drums carried bya flexihle shaft mounted upon an engine which is carried by a vehicle, the latter being anchored during the operating travel of the irrigating machine. lt is preferred to anchor the machine in tour different positions equidistantly arranged around the ten-acre square` for instance, to be irrigated. For example, the machine is actuated through thc instrumentality ol the engine, from one position suiliciently to irrigate or pass over one-fourth of the ten-acre lot. The machine is then stopped and the engine changes its position, and so on, until the machine, which is pivoted to the central hydrant, is caused to travel entirely around the square to he irrigated. The different positions of the operating engine are required in order that the power may be advantageously applied to the radially disposed machine.

lt will be understood that in irrigating a square Held of the character indicated, the corners normally would not be touched, that is, there will he certain corner-areas beyond the circle ou" the normal outer extremity of the machine.

In order to irrigate these corners, the outer extremity of the framework of the machine is equipped with a hose which is in communication with the Water conduit, and a man uses a nozzle connected with the hose in irrigating these corner-areas. As the machine. moves very slowly, it is practicable to properly irrigate such areas While-thc outer extremity of the machine is traveling from'its tangential position at the center of one side of the wld. to a corresponding position on the adjacent side.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction` l will proceed to describe the same in detail., reference being made to theaccompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this draWing,-`

Figure 1 is a diagrannnatic view illustrating a one-hundred and sixty acre field divided into squares, showing a centrally located Water supply and a series of hydrants in the respective squares, with Which the irrigating machine may be connected.

Fig. 2 is a view showing one of these squares on a larger scale and illustrating the machine in operation, the machine and the operating engine being shown in top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the machine, partly broken away, and shown on a larger scale.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same, or a view looking in the direction of arrow 6, Fig. 3, shown on the same scale.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5h55, Fig. (3, viewed in the direction of the arrow, the parts being shown on a still larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the hydrant and the adjacent extremity of the machine, the balance of which is broken away. This is a view looking in the direction of arrow 6, Fig. 3, but on a much larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a view looking in the direction of arrovv 7, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan vienr in detail of the coupling for connecting the irrigating machine with the hydrant.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the engine for operating the machine.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 5 desigg natos the source of water supply for a relatively large field, say, one-hundred and sixty acres. This may represent a well equipped with a pump, and a storage tank into which the water may be pumped and thence distributed to pipes G which radiate from the source of supply and extend diagonally from the center of the field toward its corners. These main conduits 6 are located below the surface of the ground a suilicient distance not to interfere with tillage. At the center ot each ten-acre square 7 is located a hydrant 8, which is in communication with the main source of supply 5. As shown in the drawing, each of the main pipes G is directly in communication with one hydrant 8. These pipes 6 are each intersected by a relatively short pipe or conduit 9, which extends at right angles to the corresponding main pipe or conduit, and is equipped with a hydrant 8 at each eXtremity, the hydrants in all cases being located at the center of the square to be irrigated, which, as illustrated in the drawing, is assumed to be an area of ten acres. This hydrant structure is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, of the drawing, and consists of a vertically disposed pipe member 10 extending upwardly from the extremity of a pipo 6 or 9, as the case may be. I will assumethat the hydrant shown in the drawing is one of the terminal hydrants of a pipe 6, referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing. This terminal pipe member 10 is embedded in a quantity of concrete 12, and its upper eX- tremity Where it projects above the ground is equipped with a cylindrical bearing member 13, which is engaged by a number of antifrictional rollers 14 carried by a coupling 15, which consists ot two members 16, comprising a easing which opens on a pivot or hinge bolt 17. The two parts of this casing are provided with oppositely located lugs 18 to which are secured inclined frame bars 19 and 20 on opposite sides, which bars form a part of the hydrant extremity oi the irrigating apparatus. These frame bars are secured to the lugs 18 by bolts 21, which are passed through registering openings formed in the extremities of the frame bars 19 and 2f) oi the said lugs. Opposite the hinge bolt 17, the casing members are connected by a removable pin 22, which, for convenience, is provided with a handle 23. This pin passes through overlapping lugs 21 and 25 with which the members 16 ot' the coupling are provided. After insertion, the pin 22 may be held in place by a key or cotter Q6, or other suitable means, adapted to prevent the accidental removal of the pin when the apparatus is not in use. The upright member 1G of the hydrant is provided above the coupling l5, with a threaded extension 27 which is connected as shown at 28, with the lower part 29 of a partially spherical socket 30. The upper member 31 of this socket is connected with the lower member by a coupling sleeve 32, which is interiorly threaded to engage exterior threads formed on the adjacent flanges 33 and 34 of the two socket members. The member 29 of this socket is semispherical in shape, while the member 31 extends above the semispherieal member, thus forming the socket portion of a ball and socket joint, the ball member 35 being secured as shown at 3G, to the lower extremity of a pipe member 37 which is connected by means of a coupling member 3S with a depending vertically disposed portion 39 of the main conduit l0 of the irrigating apparatus.

When it is desired to disconnect the apparatus from the hydrant, the pin 22 is removed from the coupling 15, and one el the bolts 21 also taken out, whereby the frame bars 19 and 20 on one side of the coupling will be disconnected. This will permit the opening of the coupling, whereby the irrigating apparatus may be disconnected from one hydrant preparatory to its connection with another hydrant. Furthermore, in disconnecting the irrigating apparatus from the hydrant, it will be necessary to operate the coupling sleeve 39 suiliciently to disconnect the pipe membe 3T from the depending conduit member 39 of the main conduit 40 of the irrigating apparatus. Ulose to the hydrant,y the ground conduit C is provide-d. with a valve il, whose stem 42 is equipped with an exposed hand-wheel 43. whereby the water may be turned on and ott at will.

The two frame hars 19 ol the irrigating apparatus, diverge outwardly Jfrom the hydrant as they extend upwardly. their upper cxtrei'nities being' perforated to receive the stems Ll? of the forks A of the caster wheels 45. fliese stems project through pei't'orations formed in the upper extremities ot these trame hars and through sleeves i6, the upper extremities of the stems hiring threaded to receive fasteningl nuts The frame bars 20 are upwardly inclined 'from the hy drant couiiiling. their upper extremities being secured by means of bolts if). with a transversely ari ringed member 5() ot the rpw per framework oi the irrigatingI apparatus. This` upper framework, in addition. to the transverse member 50, is provided with a number of other transverse memhers 3l and 52. The adjacent transverse members oi this upper framework of the irrigating apparatus are connected by spaced longitudinally disposed frame members 5?, 'u hose opposite extremities hare swiieled connections 5l with the transverse members, whereby this upper franiermrk is flexible and adapted to yield to contini-m to the varying surface of the lield over which the machine is traveling. ln other words. the surface may Vbe uneven or rolling (see Fig'. 3), without in any way interfering with the proper operation oi' the apparatus. T his, of course, is due to the flexibility of the upper framework of the striufture. This framework is supported upon a number of pairs oi' casier wheels l5, each haring a fork 44 and a stem 4-7. All oi the caster wheels are substantially of the sannstructure as the pair nearest the hydrant, and which has heretofore been described when explainin the connection of the frame bars 19 with t 1e upper framework of the. structure. It is evident that the irrigating' apparatus must be of considerable length in order to extend from the centrally located hydrant to the outside of a ten-acre field to be irrigated at one` operation. Under the circumstances, it is practically necessary that the machine should he haiiE the length of the toieacre, field, or three hundred and thirty feet in length. ln Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. the structure is shown broken away both as to the upper framework and the conduit structure, in order to indicate that it may he formed of any desired length. [t will he understood that the length may he indelinite. as long as the sections of the upper framework composed of the transverse members 53. are suiliciently short to give the entire structure the desired flexibility, in order to enable the apparatus to coliform to the unevenness or rolling condition o t the ground to be irrigated. lt should he understood that while the apparatus is ot considerable length as just explained. it will he comparatively narrow. The caster wheels` l5 are arranged in pairs, the individual members of each pair heilig' arranged one in trout ot' the other. there being two ot these castel' wheels tor each transverse member 50. 5l and fr! of the structure.

The main conduit member Ll0, after leaving the hydrant, extends laterally to a point no directly above the adjacent transverse member 50, where it merges into the iirst section 5G of the long forwardly located, longitudinally disposed pipe or conduit. which extends the entire length of the apparatus and is composed of a series ot these sections :3(3, which are joined at their adjacent eX- tremities by flexible couplings 57, thus male ing this part oi the conduit structunl Hexihle in order to conform to the icxible condition ol the upper framework which i'ornrsl the support for the water-conducting structure. The sections 56 of the conduit are oi the same length, approximately. as the distance between the. adjacent transverse niemhers 50. 5l and The outermost section Titi ot the forward portion olE the conduit structure, merges into a bend 58 which is supplied with a nozzle .39. This hand 5S extends rearwardly from the inner extremity of the outermost section 56 ot' the conduit and merges into the first section G0 ol' the rearwardly located portion of the conduit, which is provided with nozzles 61 for discharging the Water for irrigating purposes. The outermost section 60 of this rearwardly located memher is largest, or of greatest cross sectional area. In fact, this rearwardly located w:iter-discharge n'ien'iher iapers trom its outer extremity inwardly. toward the hydrant. whereby the water discharge is greatest at the outer extremity oi' this member, and proportionately diminishes toward the inner extremity, or center oi' the section to he irrigated. Each of these sections may be designated hy the numeral (30. the said sections being connect ed hy ieX- ilole joints 62 which provide the necessary yielding capacity to correspond with the varying conditions of the ground. as heretofore explained when descril'iing the 'orwa rdly located conduit member composed ot the sections 56. It should also he explained that the nozzles (31 are largest at the outer extremity` of the rearwardly located discharge-conduit, and gradually diminish in size toward the inner extremity of the machine, whereby the discharge capacity is made to correspond with the cross sectional area ot' the portions of the discha rge conduit upon which they are mounted.

VIn order to operate the irrigating appie ratos or machine, a number of cables G3, 6l, G5, 6G and 67 are respectively connected with the forward frame members 53 of the structure at one extremity and extend to a series of drums 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72, and are made fast thereto as shown at 73, (see Fig. 9). These drums diminish in size in the order named, that is to say, the drum GS whose cable 63 extends to the outer extremity of the irrigating apparatus, is largest, while the other drums which are connected with the shorter cables 64, 65, 66 and 67, respectively, diminish in size to correspond with the shortening of their respective cables and also to correspond to the diminishing circumference of the travel of the extremities of these cables which are connected with the irrigating apparatus.

These drums are mounted on journals which are connected to constitute a flexible shaft whose extremities are journaled, as shown at 75l, in bearings 75 mounted on the rear extremities of frame bars 7 6 constituting a part of the body of a vehicle 77, having an axle TS mounted on the ground wheels 7S). Upon this vehicle is mounted an engine including a cylinder 80, and a piston therein whose stem 81 is connected with the crank shaft 82 journaled in one of the frame bars T6, as shown at 83, and in an auxiliary bar Sl, as shown at 85. Upon one extremity of (his crank shaft is made fast a gear 86 which meshes with a larger gear 87 fast on one of the journals 74 of the flexible shaft carrying lhe series of drums 68 to 72, inclusive.

then the irrigating apparatus is in operation, assuming that it is mounted as indicated in Fig. 2, and as heretofore described in detail, being rotatably connected with a hydrant 8, in the center of the square area to be irrigated, and assuming that the cables 63 to 6T, inclusive, are respectively connected with the drums 68 to 72, inclusive, and also assuming that the engine or operating apparatus carrying the drums is located as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the operation of the engine will rotate the iexible shaft and impart a corresponding movement to the drums thereon, whereby the pull upon the several cables connected with the irrigating machine will be properly applied to cause the same to move from the position shown in Fig. 2, to the position indicated by the dotted line 88, or one-quarter the distance around the field. By the time the irrigating machine reaches the dotted line 88, it will be advisable to change the position of the engine 77 from the position shown in Fig. 1, to approximately the position indicated by the numeral 2 in F ig. 2. During the move-' ment of the engine from one position to the other, the cables 63 to 67, inclusive, which have been wound upon the drums duringI the movement of the irrigating apparatus over the first quarter of the area of the field, will be paid out from the cables so that they will be virtually unwound or in the condition shown in Fig. 2, by the time the engine reaches the second position, after which the engine will be started and the operation continued until the irrigating apparatus has passed over another quarter of the field, making in all, one-half thereof. In this event, the position of the operating engine is changed to that indicated approximately by the numeral 3 in Fig` 2, when the operation is repeated, after which the irrigating apparatus will have been passed over threefourths of the field; then, by changing the position of the engine to that indicated by the numeral 4 in Fig. 2, the irrigating machine may be returned to the original position, the whole field having been irrigated.

During the operation of the machine, the services of a man will be required for the purpose of irrigating the corners by the use of a iexible hose 89, provided with a nozzle 90, the hose being in communication with the water conduit on the apparatus, at the outer extremity of the latter. 'This nozzle will be manipulated by the person in charge, for the purpose of properly sprinkling or supplying water to the corners, indicated by the numeral 91, and beyond the dotted circle 92 (see Fig. 2), which indicates the path of the outer extremity of the irrigating apparatus during its operation, as heretofore described.

In order to securely connect the rearwardly located water-distributing member of the conduit to the framework of the machine, each section 60 of this conduit member is connected with a frame bar 53 of the adjacent section of the frame, by means of securing bands 93 which are passed around the frame members 53 and the sections 60 of the water-distributing conduit member, whereby the said member is rigidly held in place upon the frame.

Attention is called to the fact that the swiveled connections between the extremi ties of the longitudinally disposed frame bar sections 53 of the transverse members 50, 51 and 52, is effected by the employment ot sleeves which are rigidly secured to the members 53 and move freely rotatably upon the corresponding transverse members 50, 51 and 52.

Having thus described my invention, what l ciaim is 1. Irrigating apparatus comprising n wheeled frame rotatably connected with the hydrant, the frame comprising a series of transversely arranged and longitudinally disposed bars, the extremities of the longitudinal bars being hingedly connected with the adjacent transverse bars, and a conduit mounted on the said frame and rigidly connected therewith, the said conduit comprising a forwardlydocated non-perforated longitudinally disposed member, extending from the hydrant to the outer extremity of lll the apparatus and rnergggininto a rearwardly located water-distributing member extending toward the hydrant.

2. Irrigating apparatus comprising a wheeled 'trame rotatably connected with the hydrant, the frame Comprising a series ot' transversely arranged and longitudinally disposed bars, the extremities of the longitudinal bars being hingedly eonneeted with tbe adjacent transverse bars, and a ronduit mounted on said Jframe and rigidly connected therewith, the lsaid ronduit comprising a 'forwardly-loeated non-perforated longitudinally disposed member, extending: troni the hydrant to tlie outer extremity oi' t'lie appa atun` and merging into a rearwardly lo fated wittendiStributingl member extending toward tbe hydrant, and diminn ishing in erosie sectional area from its outer extremity toward the hydrant.

lrrigating apparatus1 r-,oinprising a liyA drant, a relatively long radially disposed water-dietrilnlting apparatus Comprising n number ot jointed frame sections and a eorresponding number of jointed water distributing ronduit sections, tlie framework being nionntedion Wheels, cables eonneeted with tlie di Here nt sections ot' the frame, drums varying in `ine and with Wliieli the cables are respei tively eonneeted at their extremitiee remote troni the waterfdietriluiting apl'iaratns, and nuansA 'for rotating tlie drums whereby the water-distriliuting: structure is Caused to travel around die hydrant lor irriglatiimr purposes.

ln testimony n'liereoi l affix my signature in presenee oi' two witnesses.

009i of this pltelt my be obtained for tlve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. C. 

